Adjustable door jack table



Sept. 15, 1959 K. H. WALTHALL [ADJUSTABLE DOOR JACK TABLE.

3-Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 29, 1956 INVENTOR. B UM.

,4 Ira/m: m

Sept. 15, 1959 K, H. WALTHALL I I 2,904,087

ADJUSTABLE DOOR JACK TABLE Filed March 29, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

1959 K. H. WALTHALL 2,904,087

ADJUSTABLE DOOR JACK TABLE Filed March 29, 1956 3 Sheets-SheefiS n mjwum //o i y W zyieem United States PatentQ ADJUSTABLE DOOR JACK TABLE Kenneth H. Walthall, Houston, Tex.

Application March 29, 1956, Serial No. 574,671 4 Claims. (01. 144-288) This invention relates to .an adjustable door jack table and more particularly .to such a table for use in holding a door in various positions for measurement, work thereon, fitting and hanging.

Today, doors in houses, ofiice buildings, and similar construction are normally held in position for measurement, fitting, and hanging by hand which is fatiguing and requires two men to do the work in most instances. Additionally, b'ecause't he doors are held in place by hand during measurement there are often inaccuracies in -fi-t.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an adjustable door jack table which will allow on, fitting, and hanging; which speeds up the work; and which provides mechanical a idsin making measurements.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an adjustable door jack table by which a door may 2,904,087 Patented Sept. 15, 1959 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of an adjust able guide member ot'the adjustable door jack "table,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of a door and the table assembly in longitudinal vertical position adjacent a doorway. 1

Fig. 8 is a perspective 'view 'of the use of the straight edge of an adjustable guide member and a power plane for trimming a longitudinal edge'of adoor, v

Fig. '9 'is a fragmentary side view 'of the upper portion of a door in place against an u per door jan'ib illustrating use of a jambfinder,

' Fig. 10 is .a view along'fthe line chili- 1h of Figure 9,

one man to handle a door for measurement, work therebe supported in a longitudinal vertical position and while so supported may be moved vertically, horizontally, and rotated along a vertical axis into position against or adjacent side and top door jambs.

- Another object of the present invention is the provision of an adjustable door jack table including jamb finders for indicating excess width and height of doors.

A further object is the provision of an adjustable door jack table including an adjustable straight edge to indicats the line of excess widthof a door and assist in guiding a tool cutting 0E such excess door width.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a door jack tableas aforesaid which, after measurements have been made on the door while in a vertical position, permits the door, still supported by the.

visionof a saw guide assembly for use in conjunction with the door jack-table for cutting door ends.

' And still another object of the present invention is to provide such an adjustable door jack table whichis simple and economical to construct and yet dependable in use.

"Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following description of a preferred example of the invention, given for the purpose "of disclosure, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where like character references refer to like parts throughout the several views, and where Fig. 1 is a side view of the adjustable door jack table :O'f the present invention taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 2,

Fig. 2 is an end view of Figure l, h

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 except illustrating a door in a side vertical position,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the gripping and elevating assembly of the present invention,

Fig, 5 is a fragmentary side view illustrating the table assembly of the present invention supporting a door in a -longitudinal vertical position,

iiively of the horizontal locking member '24, each of which horizontal portions -lightlycontacts the .posts' 30 (see "Figures 2 and 3) on opposite sides and prevent rotation Fig. 11 is a plan view of the saw guide assembly of the present invention, 7

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side view of one end of a door illustrating use of the saw guide assembly with a power saw, v,

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a template clamp or the saw guide assembly and I Fig. 14 is a vertical view, partly in section, of the non 'rnar'r'ing head of the clamp of Fig. 13.

a longitudinal vertica'l position (see Figure 5) for various purposes which will be made clear later herein.

As best seen in Figures "1, 2 and 3, the carriage 12ha's freely pivoted wheels'18 for mobility and has the carriage framework 15 to support one :end of the support rod 20, the pivot '22 on the other end of the supportfrod 20, and the horizontal locking member 24. "While they carriage framework 15 may be of various designs, itispreferredto have much of theweight' of the'table assembly '14 carried well back from'the pivot when the table assembly is in the position shown 'in Figure '5 to eliminate tipping of carriage-12. I i

As best seen in Figure '1, a table 26 is rigidly secured through a pair of brackets lZS to a pair of horizontally spaced vertical posts '30.. The support rod 20, the posts .30, and the brackets 28 are included in the supporting frame :of the table assembly 14; Each of these posts 30 is rotatably connected to the su port 20 at reduced diameter po'rti'o'ns az b meansof sleeves 34 which sleeves 34 and vertical 30 have the same external diameter as the external diameter of the unreduced portions. of support rod To hold the table 26 in the horizontal position shown in Figure '1, rotation of sleeves 3'4jabout the reduced portions 32 is releasably prevented by the horizontal portions 36 and- 38 respecof the slieeves34 when the posts 30 are in the position shown in Fig'ure 1. This locking member '24 (see Figures 1 and 2) is secured .to the carriage framework '15 at the end of the carriage farthest from the pivot '22 and extends forward "on one side of the posts 30 to a point above the pivot 22 looping back on the other side of the posts 30 to the xcar-riag'e framework 15. The horizontal portion 36 is raised close to table 26 to give maximum stability while the horizontal portion 38 is lower to permit manipulation and horizontal movement of crank handle 40 for a purpose which will be. made apparent later. To permit the table assembly 14 to be placed in the, side vertical position of Figure 3 after ,it has been slid to the right as viewed in Figure 1, the horizontal locking member 24 is curved downwardly and outwardly at 31 from the horizontal portion 36 on each side of .the. support rod: 20 and .then upwardly and inwardly at 33 to the horizontal portion38 forming a forward sup port 42 (see Figure 1) on each side of the support rod 20.- Likewise, the horizontal locking member 24 on each side of the support rod 20 is turned downwardly and outwardly at 35 from the horizontal portion 38 and connected to the rear of the carriage framework 15 to form a rear support 44 on each side of the support rod 20. When in the position shown in Figure 3, the

posts 30 reston these supports 42 and 44 to prevent the table 26 and the door 16 to be pivoted about the support rod 20 to aid in fitting the door 16 into a doory 7 To secure a door 16 to the table assembly 14 and to move the door vertically wtih respect to the table 26 when in the position shown in Figure there is provided the gripping and elevating assembly 46 (see Figure 4) which includes the pair of parallel door gripping members 48 which are bars each having an upturned jaw 50 on one end in opposed relation to the upturned jaw 50 on the other bar between which the ends of a door 16 are placed and the door' gripped. Preferably the portion of the lower jaw 50 contacting the door is about oneeighth to one-fourth of an inch thick for purposes which will be made more apparent later herein. To move the jaws 50 toward or away from one another for gripping or releasing the door 16 there is provided the. pinion 52 meshing between adjacent racks 53 on each door gripping member 48 so that rotation of the pinion 52 by the crank handle 40 causes the jaws 50 to move toward or away from one another. To cause the door gripping members 48 to move as a unit vertically when the table assembly 14 is in the position shown in Figure 5 and thus elevate or lower the door 16, there is provided a single pinion 54 meshing with a rack 55 on the outside of one door clamping member 48.

The combination gripping and elevating assembly 46 is located on the bottom side of table 26 (see Figures 1 and 5) with the door gripping members 48 being supported by and slidable through the brackets 28. To prohibit longitudinal movement of pinion 54 relative to table 26 so that the door clamping members 48 will move relativeto the table 26 and carry a door 16 with them, the crank handle56 ofpinion 54 is held in position by a bracket '58 secured to the underside of table :26 As pinion 52 and its, crank handle 40 must slide along the'undersurface of table 26 when the door clamping members 48 are moved as a unit by crank handle 56, there is provided a longitudinally slotted plate bracket 60 (see Figure 5) secured to' the underside of table 26 to hold the pinion 52 correctly in place between the racks 53 and permit movement of crank handle 40 along the underside of table 26. Thus, a door 16 may be placed .on the table 26 and clamped in position by turning crank handle 40. Thereafter the table assembly 14 may be pivoted about pivot 22 to the longitudinal vertical position of Figure 5 and the door 16 moved vertically by. rotation of crank handle 56.

Releasably secured to the table 26 are the adjustable guide members 62 best seen in position in Figure 7 which .adjustableguide members 62 are used in determining the correct width of the door 16 and in planing the door edges to obtain the correct width. One such adjustable guide member 62 is placed on each side of the table 26 and cooperates with the edge of the door 16 on that side of the table.

Each adjustable guide member 62 (see Figure 6) includes a straight edge 64 adjustably secured to the under side of table 26 by a pair of slotted bars 66 and a thumbscrew 68 in each slotted bar. When in position, the Straight edges 64 do not reach to the outer edges of the door 16 and are located close to its underside. Releasably secured to each straight edge 64 are a pair of jamb finders 7 0 having a general U-shape to fit around the edge of a door (see Figure 7) including a pair of legs 71 and 72 with leg 72 being the longer and releasably secured to the straight edge 64. On each leg 71 is a jamb finding lip 73 to fit inside a door side jamb 74 (see Figure 7). In leg 72 opposite the jamb finding lip 73 is a scribe slot 76 through which the door 16 may be marked with a pencil to indicate the location of a side jamb 74.

While the jamb finder 70 may be releasably secured to the straight edge 64 by any of several means, preferably the double wedge assembly illustrated in Figure 6 is used which includes a male wedge 77 on each leg 72 and a complementary female wedge 79 on straight edge 64 with the female wedges 79 all opening toward the upper end of door 16 when in a vertical position so there will be no tendency of the male wedge 77 to fall out. With this double wedge assembly the jamb finders 70 may be removed from straight edge 64 while the door 16 is still held between clamp jaws 50 by knocking the male wedges 77 loose from female wedges 79 and sliding the jamb finders 70 along the straight edge 64 until the end of it is reached.

In use, after the door 16 is clamped in place by the door gripping member 48, the adjustable guide members 62 are slid into position so that the jamb finder lips 73 will fit inside of the side door jamb 74, and the door 16 is raised into the longitudinal vertical position against a doorway. The adjustable guide members 62 are slid outwardly until the jamb finder lips are in the position shown in Figure 7 whereupon the adjustable guide members 62 are secured in position by the thumb screw 68 and scribe marks made on the door. 7

As the distance from the scribe slot 76 to the straight edge 64 is always constant, the straight edge 64, after the table is rotated to the position shown in Figure 3 and the jamb finders 70 removed, may be used to guide a power plane 78 (see Figure 8) in cutting the edge of the door 16. To do this an adjustable shoe 80, preferably L-shaped in cross section, is secured to the power plane so that the distance between the bottom of the shoe and the bottom of the cutting portion of the power plane is equal to the distance between the scribe mark and the straight edge 64. Thus, the power plane 78 may be run along the edge of the door 16 until the shoe 80 rests on the straight edge 64 whereupon the desired out has been made.

The jamb finders 70 may also be used to mark excess height of the door 16 in the manner best illustrated in Figure 9 which shows the top of the door 16 held adjacent the top door jamb 82. Before the door 16 is raised into the vertical position a pair of jamb finders 70 are slipped over the top edge of the door 16 and after the door is placed against the doorway the jamb finders 70 are raised by hand until the jamb finder lips 73 strike the top door jamb 82 and the jamb finders 70 are then clamped into position by clamps 84 (see Figure 10). This clamp 84 is preferred as it eliminates marring of the door 16 although other means of securing the jamb finders 70 in position may be used. As best shown in Figure 10, this jamb finder clamp 84 has a cross piece 86 to which are secured a pair of legs 88, on the ends of which legs 88 are cushions 90 bearing against the su fag 9? do r .16- Appt ate y mi w y o h os pieee .8 an r s n therethrough i e Pl n 2 Leute b ser n (not sh n) t l 2 o the i fi de '70. Su roundin t P nge 2 i e comp s n sprin ,94 bea ing g n th la b fi de .0 and the .cross piece .86. Secured to the end ,of the plunger 92 projecting through the cross piece 86 is a handle 96 having a surface 98 so that when handle 96 is placed in the position shown in Figure the plunger 92 and the portion .of the jamb finder '70 secured thereto drawn away fromthe door 16 to a slight extent and the leg 71 is jlforced against the other side of door 16 hol int jam finder 1,0 in p si no ing e handle 96 outwardly until it is penpendicular to the jamb finder '70 will release the jamb finder 70.

The door 1 6 may be lowered into the position shown Figure l atter the jamb finders 70 are locked in the position shown in Figure 9 and a simple straight edge may be .used to marl; the place .of the ,cut ofdexcessive .dob hei i dicate by th l fi e l p 7 Refeni ing now to Figure 11 there is illustrated a saw guide assembly indicated generally .by the numeral 100 wh h include th e e ly ct gula te pla 102 aving a t ht e g 1. to be p ced owa th adjacent end of door 16 and a saw guide 104 slida-bly sec red n t e mpl te .102,-

s w a sembly 110 .is us d t i !1 t hg o e e s h g t of h door 16 which excess height been found and indicated by t e jamb finder 7-0 as us a e igure 9 o n some ot er :ma ne To sec re t e pla e 111.210 th door 16 there is provided a .pair of template clamp 106 (see Fi e 3;) each vin a wed sh ped ead 8 'slidably secured in a wedge shaped slot 110 in the template 102 below the outer surface of the template 102 and nQh-m nin head-1. s an o e-shaped arm 114 designed to press against the opposite side of door 16 from that on which the template 102 is placed. Thus when the template is placed into the position shown in Figurev 11 it may be secured to door '16 by turning the crank'handle 116 on each of the template clamps 106 so that the template 102 is squeezed against the door 16 between the clamp heads 108 and 112 on each template clamp 106. The preferred construction of the' nonma'r'ring 112 is shown in Figure 14 and has a nonmarring cover such as felt or similar material. 7 a

The saw guide 104 is in the shape of a bar having a straight edge 105 toward and parallel to the line of 10111 of excess door height. It is sl idably secured on the surface of the temp1ate102 such asby the screw clamps 118 projecting through the slots 120 in the template 102. As thus constructed, the saw guide may be slid along the surface of template 102 toward and away from the end of door 16 and held in the desired position by tightening on the screw clamps 118.

In use, the saw guide assembly is placed on door 16 after the excess height of the door has been determined such as by the jamb finders 70 and the door has been placed in a horizontal position. The straight edge 103 on the leading side of template 102 is placed in the position desired such as against jamb finder lips 73 when the jamb finders '70 are used as illustrated in Figure 9 and the template 102 is then locked in position by template clamps 106. The jamb finders 70 are removed fiom the end of door 16 and thereafter a power saw 124 is used as illustrated in Figure 12 by adjusting the saw guide 104 so that the base plate 126 of the power saw 124 bears against the straight edge 105 of the saw guide 104 and places the cutting blade 128 of the power saw 124 at the place of the desired cut. Once the saw guide 104 is locked in position, the power saw 124 may be slid along the top surface of template 102 as the template clamp heads 108 are recessed from this surface. As the straight edge 105 of the saw guide 104 is parallel to the straight edge 103 of the template 102 the blade 128 will then make the correct cuts so long as the operator holds the ibaseelate 12 of ppwters w 124 agai s w snide 1.0 As t e mentor probably use the sa e Power saw {124 tor several he can preset ,the saw guide 104 at the adesired position on-the temp a e 10.2 a d t us the correct .cut'will be made without further adjustment .of tbesaw guide-104. I I

,In op rati n of he a justabl doo ja k t -10.. he adju ta le guide m m e s ,6; tended outwa dly from the table 26 a sulficient distance to receive a door 16 between the jamb finder lips 7.8zon opposite sides of {the table 26. If {the doors :16 are stacked, as is .common, the table assembly 14 may be raised to the: longitudinal vertical position of Figure 5 and the lower-jaw 50 placed at floor level y man pu ation of cr nk handle 56. This lower jaw 50 may be moved nnder the-stacked door 1.6 by t e carriage forward and thereafter the door 16 is .clamped .onto the table assembly-14 by rotation of crank handle 40. The table assembly 14 is then lowered into the horizontal position of Figure 1 where the adjustable guide members .62 are slid inwardly toward the lon- =edges of the door 16 so that the jamb finder lips 73 will go inside of the side doorjamb s 74 when the is raised to a vertic l Posi on. Ad i i n lly, a pair of jamb finders 70 are placed over the upper end of the door. Thereafter the entire adjustable door jack table 10 is moved .on wheels 18 to the desired position and the table assembly 14is raised to the vertical position (Fig- ,ure 5) so the door 16 is held adjacent the doorway in vertical position. It is to be noted that because the sleeves 3.4- permit pivoting of the door 16 about the support -rod zl) that this adjustable door jack table 10 may-he used innarrow spaces such as hallways where the worl space is inSufiicient to permit the carriage 12 to be placed at right angles to the doorway.

the door 16 has been placed in a vertical position adja ent the doorway, the adjustable guide member .62 on .each edge of the door is slid outwardly until the jamb finder H9873 Strike the side door jambs 74 (see Fig. 7) where the adjustable guide members 62 are locked in position. by the thumbscrews 68. With the bottom of door adjusted to the right height from the floor by the rotation of the crank handle 56 the jamb finders 70 on the upper end of the door are slid upwardly to the position hown in Figure 9 so that the jamb finder lips 73 mark the upper jamb-82 of the doorway and such jamb finders-70 are then clamped in position by clamps 84. table assembly 14 is lowered to and locked in t ho izontal p o gure 1,)-

The jamb finders 70 secured to the straight edges 64 may then be knocked out along the length of the straight edges 64 and the door '16 turned to the side vertical position of Figure 3 where the upper edge is trimmed the desired amount such as by the power plane 78 (Figure 8) with the straight edge 64 guiding and limiting the amount of the cut. Thereafter the table 16 may be turned to the opposite side vertical position for similar trimming of the other edge.

The table is then locked in the horizontal position of Figure l, the template 102 is placed with its straight edge 103 against the jamb finder lips 73 on the upper end of the door 16 and secured there by clamps 106, and the jamb finders "70 removed from the end of the door. If made necessary by the configuration of power saw 124 or otherwise the clamp jaw 50 nearest that end of the door 16 may be moved out of the way by crank handle 40. A cut is then made along the end of the door cutting off the excess height by placing power saw 124 on the template 102 with the path of the power saw 124 being guided by its base plate 126 bearing against the previously set saw guide 104.

The saw guide assembly may be removed, the door 16 secured by door gripping members 48, and the door 16 then raised to the vertical position again to check the fit. Thereafter the door 16 is lowered to the horizontal position and hinges placed on it. The door 16 is again raised to the vertical position, fitted in the doorway, and while held inposition by the adjustable door jack table 10 has its hinges secured in the doorway. Crank handle 40 is the'nturned releasing the jaw 50 from the door 16 and the adjustable door jack table 10 is moved away. Because of the thinness of the lower jaw'50 it will permit the door 16 to-be hung on its hingeswith no more than normal clearance at the 'floor. The'upper jaw 50 need not be so thin as thedoor't16 is held in position for seof the carriage 12, the manner of locking the table 26 in a horizontal position, the jamb finder clamps 84, the template clamps 106 and the like. Accordingly, it is desired to be limited only by the spirit of the invention as defined by'the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimedis: i

1. An adjustable door jack table comprising, a mobile carriage; and a table assembly supported by said car'- riage'including', a table secured to'said carriage by a supporting frame,-means associated with said supporting frame and carriage to place said table assembly selectively in a horizontal position or a longitudinal vertical position, and gripping means associated with the table to releasably secure a door on the table assembly and means to move the door vertically including a pairof parallel door gripping members having clamp means on opposite ends thereof, a first rack and pinion assembly associated with said door gripping members adapted to move said door gripping members relative to one another for releasably gripping a door between the clamp means, and a second'rack and pinion assembly associated with one such door gripping member adapted to move both said door gripping members and the door held unitn l 2. A door jack table comprising, a mobile carriage; a horizontal support rod supported by and pivotally setherein as a cured to said carriage for swinging movement in a vertical plane; at least one vertical support post rotatably and slidably connected to said support rod; a table carried by said support post; and a generally horizontal locking member carried by the carriage, said locking member including horizontal portions parallel to a portion of the support rod and adjacent opposite sides of the support post whereby said table may be selectively placed in a horizontal, vertical or a longitudinal vertical position.

3. A door jack table comprising, a mobile carriage; a horizontal support rod supported by and pivotally secured to said carriage for swinging movement in a vertical plane; at least one vertical support post rotatably and slidably connected to said support rod; a table carried by said support post; a generally horizontal locking member carried by the carriage, said locking member including horizontal-portions parallel to a portion of the support rod and adjacent opposite sides of the support post whereby said table may be selectively placed in a horizontal, vertical, or a longitudinal vertical position; gripping means associated with the table to releasably secure a door on the table assembly; and means associated with the table to move the door vertically when in a longitudinal vertical position.

4. The door jack table of claim 3 in which the grip ping means and the means to move the door vertically include a pair of parallel door gripping members having clamp means on opposite ends thereof, a first rack and pinion assembly associated with said door gripping members adapted to move said door gripping members relative to one another for releasably gripping a door between the clamp means, and a second rack and pinion assembly associated with one such door gripping member adapted to move both said door gripping members and the door 'held therein as a unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

